Peel into third after gutsy win

Peel Thunder has jumped back into third spot on the WAFL ladder with a gutsy 13-point win over Perth at Lathlain Park on Saturday.

Despite playing the second half with only two fit men on the bench, the Thunder showed tremendous character to grind out a 14.16 (100) to 13.9 (87) win.

The Thunder was sluggish early, missing early opportunities and conceding a string of goals, as the Demons quickly acclimatised to the slippery conditions.

Perth booted five goals to two in the first quarter, including four of the first five, before Peel hit back in the second with five consecutive goals.

The key to Perth’s dominance in the first quarter was maintaining possession, something Peel rectified in the second stanza. The midfielders got first hands on the ball and the skills dramatically lifted, resulting in an 11-point lead at the long break.

The Thunder’s dominance in the clearances came largely due to Zac Clarke, who monstered his opponent collecting 15 touches and 17 hitouts, before he was knocked out after an innocuous incident on the half-back flank on the stroke of half-time.

The sight of Clarke coming off on a stretcher hushed the crowd, but the sight of the ruckman walking around at the three-quarter time huddle was a relief to many.

But Peel would be forced to contend the second half with only 20 fit men, with Clarke and Connor Blakely (ankle) unavailable.

That didn’t stop Peel from asserting dominance, with goals to Jetta, Ugle and Moller setting up a 24-point lead, before Perth slammed through five goals on the trot to draw level by three-quarter time.

A tense final term loomed, but Peel’s leaders stepped up to push the result beyond doubt.

Goals to skipper Brendon Jones and Gerald Ugle sealed the win in the final term, although two late Perth goals reduced the margin to 13 by the final siren.

Coach Cam Shepherd praised the side’s ability to defy injury and fight back into the contest.

“No one likes being down to 20 men at half time, especially with the quality of those two players (Clarke and Blakely), it put us under siege, and the others had to work hard,” he said.

“It affected our rotations but apart from probably late in the third quarter, the effort was great and it got us over the line.”

He said winning the clearances and contested possessions was crucial in the second term, although the third quarter scare proved to be a wake-up call.

“We addressed [at quarter time] the need to win the clearances, and we were able to remedy that and get back into the contest.

“At three quarter time, our season was in the balance, we spoke to the players about the possibility of a double chance (in finals) and how we needed to play, given we were two players down.

“Thankfully they stuck to the plan and we got the result.”

The win ensured that the Thunder would catapult East Perth back into third spot with one game remaining before finals.

Jacob Ballard was again instrumental for the Thunder, and his 34 disposals and two goals helped drag his side back into the contest in the second term.

Likewise Brendon Jones (32 possessions), whose goal in the final term sealed a gutsy win for his side, while Ethan Hughes (26 touches) and Sean Hurley (21 touches) both showed strong signs of improvement.

The Thunder face South Fremantle in the final game of the home and away season, ahead of the maiden finals series.